A conventional disposable absorbent article of this type has an absorbent article body that typically comprises an absorbent pad and a cover sheet provided over the outer surface of the absorbent pad, i.e. the surface that faces the garment of the wearer. The absorbent pad comprises a liquid-permeable topsheet, a liquid-impermeable backsheet, and an absorbent core disposed therebetween. The absorbent article body has a rear waist region, a crotch region, and a front waist region, which are integrally arranged in the longitudinal direction from rear to front. The absorbent article body is pre-formed in a briefs-like shape by joining each side edge portion of the rear waist region and the corresponding side edge portion of the front waist region so as to form a waist opening and a pair of leg openings. Waist opening elastic members are provided circumferentially around the waist opening. The rear waist region and the front waist region are respectively provided with rear waist elastic members and front waist elastic members (an example is shown in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2002-165820).
However, a disposable absorbent article having the configuration described above is formed in such a briefs-like shape that the rear waist elastic members and the front waist elastic members are positioned almost exactly opposite each other in nearly the same number and provide approximately the same stretchability ratio. Therefore, should the tensile stress of the rear waist elastic members and the front waist elastic members be insufficient, there is the possibility of the briefs slipping down due to a poor body-hugging capability.
Consequently, in order to increase the body-hugging capability and prevent slippage and leakage, manufacturers of such articles generally provide the absorbent article body with a substantial tensile stress. This, however, may give the wearer an unnecessarily strong constricting feeling. Particularly when the wearer has a bulging lower abdomen, the wearer may feel it too tight at the lower abdomen.
Should the wearer tend to slouch due to advanced age or other reasons, the rear waist elastic members and the front waist elastic members having the same tensile stress may result in the absorbent article body slipping down from the buttock.
In order to solve the above problems, an object of the invention is to provide a disposable absorbent article that has superior body-hugging capability, is free from the problem of slippage, and has reduced constrictiveness.